Power transmitting means



' Nov. 1, 1939.

O GRUENBERGER POWER TRANSMITTING MEANS Filed June 20, 1935 2 $heets$heet 1 gobs? 85 Nov. 7, 1939. o GRUENBERGER 2,179,149

POWER TRANSMITTING MEANS Filed June 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W W Otto Gxuabtzazsf TTORNS a Patented Nov. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES HUGE! Lie PATENT OFFICE 37 Claims.

This invention relates to hydraulic power transmitting means, and has for its principal object the improvement of such power transmitting means.

5 Another object of the invention is to provide a purely hydraulic power transmitting means in which the driven shaft may be started and speeded up by a torque multiplying element, and wherein at a predetermined relative speed of driving and driven shafts said shafts will be hydraulically coupled together. A more specific object is to provide hydraulic power transmitting means involving a hydraulic turbine and a hydraulic clutch whereby during the starting from rest of the driven means power is transmitted from the driving to the driven means substantially entirely through the turbine and then as the speed of the driven means increases above a predetermined value the transmission of power is grad- 20 ually transferred automatically from through said turbine to through said hydraulic clutch.

A further object is to provide means for adjusting the power transmitting means to predetermined conditions of operation, and more specifically to provide hydraulic means for that purpose.

Other objects will appear hereinafter as the description of the invention proceeds.

The novel features of the invention will appear 30 from this specification and the accompanying drawings, showing several embodiments of the invention, and forming a part thereof, and all these novel features are intended to be pointed out in the claims. This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial Number 672,941, filed May 26, 1933, said application,

Serial Number 672,941, having been permitted to become abandoned, in favor of the present application, without, however, in any way aban- 40 doning the inventions, or any of them, disclosed in saidapplication Serial Number 672,941.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section 45 of an another embodiment of my invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1, parts being broken away;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of another embodiment of my invention, with a 50 detail omitted for the sake of clearness;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end view of the detail omitted from Figure 4; and

5 s Figure '7 is a side elevation of a detail.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a driving shaft 10 is adapted to hydraulically drive a driven shaft ll through means which will now be described. The shaft lil has keyed thereto a rotor 12 including a pump impeller I3, of the centrifugal type provided with impeller vanes 14, of any desired number and conformatiorf The pump I3 is adapted to supply with operating fluid a turbine runner 15 forming part of a rotor 16. The turbine runner I5 is provided with turbine 10 blades 11, desirably of the reaction type and of any desired number. The blades 11, in the embodiment of Figure 1, extend from the outer periphery of the turbine runner 15 in a generally radially inward direction to near the inner pe- 15 riphery thereof, leaving a vane-free space 18, through which fluid is adapted to flow into a vane-free entrance space I9 of the pump impeller l3.

Fluid may be conducted from the discharge side of the pump impeller l3 to the turbine runner 15 through a generally annular guide element provided with a generally annular passage 2| which extends radially outwardly from the discharge side of the pump impeller l3, then turns axially and then radially inwardly toward the outer periphery of the turbine runner 15. In the passage 2| are provided a plurality of guide vanes 22 of desired number and form. The guide vanes 22 desirably extend from the discharge side of the guide member 20, at the periphery of the turbine runner 15, toward the intake side of the guide element 20, leaving a vane-free space between the guide vanes 22 and the intake opening of the passage 2|.

The guide element 20 may be supported by or form a part of a housing 23 which generally surrounds the pump and turbine elements. In this case, one side of the guide element 20 is shown as integral with an end wall 24 forming a flange on a bearing element 25 in which the shaft Ill is freely rotatable. The other side of the guide element 20 is here shown as bolted, by bolts 26, to an end bell 2'! having an end wall 28 and a peripheral wall 29, the end wall 28 being shown as forming a flange extension on a bearing 30 in which the shaft II is freely rotatable.

The housing 23 formed by the guide element 20 and its hereinbefore described supports may be held relatively stationary by one or more lugs 31 which may be bolted to a frame or housing 32. The frame or housing 32 need not be closed, and may be mounted on any suitable support. As here shown the frame 32 serves to support a pair of bearings 33, 34 for rotatably supporting the 5 shafts III, II, respectively. The bearings and shaft journals are desirably of any suitable type which will prevent axial movement of the shafts III, II.

The shaft I may be provided with a hub 35, keyed thereto, the hub 35 being here shown as provided with a flange extension 36. The turbine runner l5 may drive the shaft II and to this end the turbine runner l5 may be drivingly associated with the flange 36 by means of leaf springs 31, which extend in a generally circumferential direction, one end of each spring being fastened, as by bolts 38, 39, to the turbine runner l5 and to the flange 36, respectively. One of the springs 37, with its associated parts shown fragmentarily, is shown in Figure 3.

While the turbine runner I5 is thus adapted to drive the shaft II, a hub 40 of the rotor N5 of which the runner |5 forms a part, is not keyed to the shaft H, but is slidable thereon. The turbine runner I5 is adapted to have its position along the axis of the shaft adjusted in accordance with predetermined conditions, in this case the speed of the shaft II. To this end a desired number of fly balls 4| is provided, responsive to the speed of the shaft I In this instance each fly ball 4| is provided at the end of a crank pivoted at 42 to a bracket 43 carried by the flange 36. Operative in unison with each fly ball 4| is a crank 44 which is connected by means of a ball joint 45 to a link 46, in turn connected to a ball joint 41. One of the elements of the joint 41 is carried by a lug 48 on the turbine runner |5. The fly balls 4|, and hence the turbine runner l5, are biased to the position shown in Figure 1 by means of springs 49, each having an end connected to a fly ball 4| and the other end to the hub 35. A stop 50 may be provided on the bracket 43 to limit the outward movement of the fly ball 4|.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 is shown as including a hydraulic clutch 5| having two elements, one of which is functionally integral with the pump impeller 3, and another of which is functionally integral with the turbine runner l5. To this end the pump impeller I3 is here shown as provided on the side nearest the turbine runner l5 with an annular extension 52 provided with a generally annular recess 53 (here shown as curved) this recess being divided by the provision of a desired number of radially extending ribs or vanes 54. To the same end, the turbine runner I5 is here shown as provided on its lateral face nearest the impeller l3, with a generally annular recess 55 (here shown as curved) which is similarly provided with a desired number of radially extending ribs or vanes 56, adapted to cooperate with the ribs or vanes 54. When the shaft H is at rest the opposed straight radial edges of the ribs 54, 56 are disposed a desired distance apart, in parallel planes perpendicular to the axis of the shafts H], II.

In order to assist in better guiding the fluid discharged by the turbine blades into the intake of the pump impeller l3, an annular flange 51, concentric with the shafts H], II, may be provided, this being here shown as formed on the pump impeller I3 and serving as the outer periphery of the intake side of the pump impeller. The annular flange 5'! is adapted to cooperate with a generally annular recess 58 in the adjacent lateral face of the turbine runner I5, this annular recess 58 having a peripheral portion 59 adapted to have a working fit with the outer periphery of the flange 51, and having a bottom 60, which is here shown in a to the axis of the shaft The shaft may have its left end, as viewed in Figure l, of reduced section 6| and adapted to be rotatably fitted in a bore 62 in the right hand end of the shaft ID.

The power transmission means may have its housing 23 filled or partially filled with a suitable fluid, such as oil, and in order to retain this oil in the housing the bearings 25, 30 may be provided with suitable glands 63, 64 respectively.

The operation of the device illustrated in Figure 1 is as follows. If the shaft H is at rest, and connected to a load, and the shaft It! has power applied thereto to rotate the pump impeller l3, the vanes l4 act to throw fluid radially outwardly by centrifugal force, thereby pumping fluid into the passage 2| of the guiding element 20, through which passage fluid is conducted to the guide vanes 22, which serve to properly direct the fluid into the entrance of the turbine runner |5 at the periphery thereof, the fluid then flowing between and against the turbine blades I! to thereby generate a torque tending to rotate the turbine runner l5. After the fluid has passed in a generally radially inward direction through the turbine runner l5 it is discharged from the inner periphery of the turbine blades I! from whence it passes through the vane-free spaces l8, l9 between the blades I1 and the pump impeller vanes I4, where it is again thrown out by centrifugal force, to proceed as hereinbefore described. By reason of this arrangement a torque is applied to the turbine runner l5 which is higher than that available on the shaft I.

If, for example, the shaft H is connected to the driving wheels of an automotive vehicle, and the shaft II] is connected to a gasoline engine, the engine may be run at any desired speed, including its highest rate of speed, thereby producing a high centrifugal force and a powerful pumping action by means of the pump impeller l3. The high velocity energy of the fluid thus pumped is converted as between the guide vanes 22 and the turbine runner |5 into energy at lower speed and high torque, thereby effectively starting the automotive vehicle from rest, without the necessity of the interposition of a. mechanical clutch and reduction gears.

The turbine runner l5 (and therefore the shaft ll) cannot be brought up to the speed of the driving shaft l by the pump l3 and turbine alone, and furthermore, as the speed of the turbine |5 increases above a predetermined value, the turbine operates less and less efliciently, a large circulation of fluid occurring with loss in power and consequent loss in torque production on the driven shaft, until, at a predetermined relative speed of the shafts H], II, the torque produced on the shaft would be at best no greater than the torque of the shaft l0. However, in accordance with the present invention, as the speed of the shaft rises and reaches a predetermined value, the fly balls 4| tend to move outwardly, and when they move outwardly they cause the turbine runner |5 to be moved toward the left, as viewed in Figure 1, so that the clutch ribs 56 are caused to approach the clutch ribs 54. At the same time, the peripheral ends of the turbine blades I! are moved axially out of alignment with the discharge ends of the guide vanes 22, thereby reducing the circulation of fluid through the pump l3 and turbine I5. As the clutch ribs 54, 56 approach each other, they beplane perpendicular come more and more effective to transmit torque from the driving shaft ID to the driven shaft II. This will be evident when it is considered that the clutch ribs 54, 56 tend to propel the fluid between the ribs radially outwardly, thereby putting the fluid between the ribs under considerable pressure and as the ribs approach each other, there is less and less oportunity for the fluid between the ribs to assume a rotational movement different from that of either the ribs 54 or 56. Consequently, when the fly balls 4| have moved the runner to the limit of motion toward the left, at which time the edges of the ribs 54, 56 are as close together as possible, with running clearance, the pump impeller |3 and turbine runner l5 are effectively hydraulically clutched together.

When the ribs 54, 56 are in close cooperative relation as herelnbefore described, a peripheral annular flange 65 on the turbine runner |5 has been moved to cut off communication between the discharge side of the vanes 22 and the turbine blades |1. Losses due to circulation of fluid from the pump impeller 3 through the turbine runner 5 are therefore prevented. There are therefore no such losses as would impair the eficiency of the clutch 5|. There is of course running clearance between the flange 65, and, in general, between the radially outer periphery of the rotor IS, on the one hand, and the adjacent inner periphery of the guide member 20, on the other hand.

It will be evident that inasmuch as the clutch ribs 54, 56 are a considerable distance apart when the shaft II is at rest, or has reached a predetermined low speed, losses which would occur if the ribs 54, 56 were close together under these circumstances, are avoided. It may be stated that in hydraulic clutches of the type herein described, if the ribs 54, 56 are close together when there is a considerable difference in speed between such ribs, the losses are so high that not enough power would be left to obtain any beneficial effect from the pump and turbine combination. On the other hand, if the difference in speed between the shafts ID and H is first decreased by the pump-turbine combination to a predetermined amount and then the ribs 54, 56 brought into close proximity, the conditions are then such that the clutch 5| can operate at its maximum efficiency and is enabled to still further reduce the difference in speed between the shafts II], II, in fact the driven shaft II will rotate at virtually the same speed as the driving shaft ID, the slip amounting to only three or four per cent.

If, after a certain stable condition has been reached with virtually the same speed at shaft II as at ID, the load on the shaft II is increased, as by an automotive vehicle going up a hill, sufficiently to reduce the speed of the shaft enough to cause the fly balls 4| to move radially inwardly, the clutch ribs 54, 56 will be separated a predetermined distance, depending on the reduction in speed, and at the same time the turbine runner IE will be moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 1, thereby reestablishing circulation of fluid through the runner l5, as will be evident. The torque multiplying effect of the pump and turbine combination will consequently again come into action to take care of the increased torque required at the shaft I. Thus with my invention an automotive vehicle may not only be started from rest, without the necessity of the interposition of a mechanical clutch and Search reduction gears, but no declutching, shifting of gears, and re-clutching are necessary to take care of various changing load conditions, all that being taken care of automatically, and in a manner such that the parts are not subjected to violent changes in stress. The latter objectionable condition is avoided by a gradual and smooth transfer of power transmission from through the pump-turbine combination to through the hydraulic clutch and vice versa, automatically dependent on the conditions of operation.

Referring to Figure 2, this illustrates another embodiment of my invention, and it will be understood that the lower, chiefly omitted, half of the section is the same as the upper half. In the embodiment of Figure 2 a rotor 66 includes a turbine runner 61 which may be provided with more than one set of turbine blades, these being disposed in separate, generally radially extending passages of the runner. The runner 61, may, for example, be provided with a set of blades 68 adapted to cooperate with the discharge from guide vanes 69 when a shaft 19 is at rest, or has not reached a predetermined speed. The guide vanes 6!! correspond to the vanes 22 of Figure 1. As the speed of the shaft 19 is increased by the effect of fluid passing between and against the blades 68, means is provided to shift the turbine runner 61 to the left, as viewed in Figure 3, thereby gradually bringing another set of turbine blades into cooperation with the fluid discharged from the guide vanes 59, and at the same time gradually removing the turbine blades 68 from the depth of that discharge. The turbine blades 18 are desirably so constructed and disposed that the effective average radius thereof is less than that of the blades 68, and the blades 10 are otherwise designed as to curvature in their general plane to operate more efficiently at a speed higher than that at which the blades 68 operate most efficiently.

As in the case of the embodiment in Figure 1, when the turbine runner 61 has been moved to the left to its maximum distance, at which time clutch ribs 1|, 12 of a hydraulic clutch 13, similar to the clutch 5| of Figure 1, are in close cooperative relation, a flange 14, similar to the flange 65, closes the discharge side of the guide vanes 69 and the runner 61.

In the embodiment of Figure 2 the space between the clutch ribs 1|, 12 is closed at its inner periphery by means of an annular flange 15,

analogous to the flange 51 of Figure 1, but in this.

instance provided on the turbine runner 61 and on the side thereof nearest to the intake side of a pump impeller 16, forming part of the rotor 11 corresponding to the pump impeller I3 and rotor I2 of Figure l.

The rotors 66 and 11 are related to shafts 19, 18 in a manner similar to that described in con nection with the rotors l2, l6 and shafts I, H of Figure 1, and a housing 80 and frame 8| correspond to the housing 23 and frame 32.

In the embodiment of Figure 2 the means for causing movement of the turbine runner 61 in response to speed conditions of the shaft 19 includes a valve 82 cooperable with a valve seat 83 which surrounds an opening 84 through the turbine runner 61, into the space radially within the blades 10. The valve 82 in this instance is pro vided with a guide 85 slidable in the opening 84, the guide 85 being provided with one or more slots 86, which may be of V-shape, tapering toward a collar portion 81 of the movable valve member 82. Fluid is adapted to pass from a whirl space, 88, outside of the turbine runner, enclosed by an end bell portion 89 of the housing 88, through such portion of the slot 88 as may not be covered by the margins of the valve seat 83.

The valve 82 may be operated by means of a link 98, operable by fly balls 9| mounted and connected similarly to the fly balls 4| of Figure 1.

The operation of the embodiment of Figure 2 is similar to that already described in connection with the embodiment of Figure 1, with exceptions to be pointed out. When the speed of the shaft I9 increases to a predetermined amount, the port formed by the V-shaped slot 86 will gradually close, thereby building up fluid pressure in the space 88 on the outside of the rotor 66. When the pressure in the space 88 has been built up suificiently high, either by partial closure of the slot 86 or complete closure by seating of the valve collar 81 of the valve member 82 on the seat 83, the rotor 66 will be moved toward the left, as viewed in Figure 2, by the fluid pressure thus built up.

When the rotor 66 moves, in response to closure or partial closure of the valve 82 by movement of the fly ball 9|, as hereinbefore described, such movement of the rotor 66 will cause re-opening of the valve 82 to thereby decrease the pressure in the space 88, thereby stopping axial movement of the rotor The result is that the rotor 86 will be positioned in accordance with the position of the fly ball 9| and it will not be necessary for the fly ball 9| to act directly on the rotor 66 as the speed rises, as is the case in the embodiment of Figure 1, although the fly ball 9| may also act directly on the rotor 66 by engagement of the valve collar 8'! with the valve seat 82. It will of course be obvious that the valve 82 as described in connection with Figure 2 may also be applied in the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

As the rotor 66 is moved toward the left in response to predetermined speed conditions of the shaft I9 the turbine blades 68 of the turbine runner 81 are gradually cut out of operation and the turbine blades I8 are gradually cut into operation, and at the same time, as in the case of the embodiment of Figure 1, when the speed of the shaft I9 is such that the turbine blades I8 are operating at a speed at which torque production is no longer as eflicient as at predetermined lower speeds, then the turbine blades 18 will gradually be cut out of operation entirely and the clutch ribs I I, I2 gradually brought into close proximity, so that the shafts I8, I9 are hydraulically clutched as hereinbefore described in connection wtih Figure 1. The clutch I3 is shown in Figure 2 surrounded, with running clearance, by an annular flange 92 provided on the discharge end of the guide member in which the guide vanes 69 are disposed. Such a flange 92 may of course also be provided if desired on the guide member 28 of Figure 1.

It will of course be apparent that the fly ball 9|, in conjunction with the valve 82, will act to cause movement of the rotor in a direction toward the right, as viewed in Figure 2, when there is a decrease in speed of the shaft I9.

Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, this illustrates another embodiment of my invention, and the apparatus here shown includes a driving shaft 93 and a driven shaft 94. The hydraulic transmission proper, for transmittirg power from the shaft 93 to the shaft 94 is shown as enclosed in a divided housing 95 having generally the parts 95, 91, here shown as fastened together by any suitable number of bolts 98. The housing part 96 is provided with a hub 99 which is keyed to the shaft 94, and the hub 99 also serves as a journal bearing for a reduced end I88 of the shaft 93.

The housing part 91 is provided with a hub or boss I8I which is freely rotatable with respect to the shaft 93, and in order to retain liquid within the housing 95 a suitable gland I82, with packing, is provided. The shaft 93 is here shown as provided with a collar I83 which serves as an abutment between it and the hub ml, to limit the relative axial movement of the parts. The shaft 93 further has drivingly associated therewith a disc I84 which is here shown as fastened, as by screws I85, to a flange I86 drivingly asso ciated with the shaft 93. The disc I84 extends to within running clearance of the housing part 96, thus dividing the housing 95 into two chambers.

The disc I84 carries vanes I81, which may be integral with the disc I 84. The vanes I81 constitute the impeller vanes of a pump, and these vanes may be desirably curved as shown in Figure 5, the concave side being toward the direction of the rotation.

In the embodiment of Figure 4 the peripheral outer ends of the impeller vanes I81 are disposed, with running clearance, adjacent and within the radially inner edges of a plurality of turbine blades I88. The turbine blades I88 are curved generally in the opposite direction from the curvature of the vanes I81 and are desirably, for the best results, shaped to constitute the blades of a radially outward flow reaction turbine. The turbine blades I 88 are drivingly associated with a base ring I89, with which the blades I88 may be integral. The base ring I89 is drivingly associated with the housing part 96 by means of any suitable number of ribs or vanes II 8, which in the embodiment shown, and as may be more clearly seen in Figure 5, extend in a generally radial direction.

The space radially outside of the turbine blades I88 and confined by the disc I84 and by the inside of the housing part 96 constitutes a discharge chamber proper, III, for liquid flowing in a generally radial direction out from between the turbine blades I88. This chamber III along with the spaces between the ribs II8 constitute a discharge passage or passages for the turbine. In the embodiment shown the base ring I89 extends in a generally radial inward direction forming a portion IIZ which serves as a wall separating the aforesaid passage from the pump impeller.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 the pump impeller vanes I81 extend radially inward, along the wall II2, with running clearance between the vanes I8! and the wall II2, to a point I I3 which may be at a place substantially the same radial distance from the periphery of the shaft 93 as is the radial inner edge of the wall II2. From the point II3 the edges of the vanes I81 may extend in a general axial direction and may also extend radially inward to substantially the periphery of the shaft 93. It is evident that, with the arrangement of parts shown, a vane-free space II 4 is provided at the inlet to the pump vanes I81 and at the terminus of the discharge passage from the turbine. While the discharge chamber III, the discharge passage between the ribs II 8, and the vane free space |I4 have been thus named for convenience of description, it will of course be obvious that no definite distinction can be made or limits assigned as between what may be considered the ing portion 91.

discharge passage for the turbine and the inlet passage for the pump.

In the embodiment shown, the pump vanes I01 are axially wider at their inlet edges, than they are at their radial outer edges, which is desirable but not essential, and the wall I09 is correspondingly formed to accommodate running clearance between it and the vanes I01. It is evident that even if the vanes I01 are otherwise unshrouded on the sides facing the wall I09, the said wall will serve as a shroud for the vanes I01.

The disc I04 is here shown as also carrying vanes or ribs II5, on the side of said disc opposite from that of the pump vanes I01. The vanes H5 are of any desired number and, when provided, they are disposed in operative relation to another set of vanes IIB, carried by a disc II 1. The disc H1 is provided with a hub II8 which is freely slidable on the shaft 93. The disc H1 is here shown as biased towards the position shown in Figure 1 by means of a desired number of leaf springs I I9. The ends of each spring are fastened respectively to the disc II 1 and to the end wall of the housing part 91, as by means of screws I20, I 2I respectively.

In order to regulate and adjust the distance between the axially opposed edges of the vanes H5, H6, in accordance with the speed of the driven shaft 94. the end wall of the housing part 91 carries, in this instance, inertia type fly balls I22, I23, not shown in Figure 4 but shown in end elevation in Figure 6. The fly balls I 22, I23 are carried by levers I24, I25 which are adapted to be pivoted to pivots I26, I21 carried by the hous- As will be evident the fly balls I22, I23 and the pivoted levers I24, I25 to which they are attached are movable in a plane transverse to the driving shaft 93. The fly balls I22, I 23 are suitably connected by pivoted links I28, I29 to arms I30, I3I carried by a ring I32 freely rotatable in a groove I 33 in the hub I M of the housing portion 91. The ring I32, as clearly shown in Figure '7, is provided with skewed slots I35, I36 into which pins I31, I38 are adapted to extend. The pin 131 is here shown as carried by a block I39 having axially extending operating pins I40 associated therewith. The pins I 40 are here shown as extending through holes in the housing portion 91 and are operable against the disc II1. Two pins I 40 are provided merely as one way of preventing the pin I31 from binding in the slot I35. The pin I38 is similarly carried by a block provided with pins acting on the disc H1.

The fly balls I22, I23 may be biased to the position shown in Figure 6 by springs I4I. I42 having their ends connected to the fiy balls and to the levers I24, I 25 respectively.

When the driven shaft 94 and consequently the housing 95 are at rest or at a speed insufiicient to overcome the bias of the springs I4I, I42 and H9, the fly balls I22, I23 will be in the position shown in Figure 6, and the pins I31, I38 will be in the position shown in Figures 6 and 4. The clutch vanes II5, I IE will be in the position shown in Figure 4. When the speed of the housing 95 increases to a predetermined extent. the fly balls I22, I23 will be moved outwardly, thus turning the ring I32 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 6. The turning of the ring I32 will cause the pins I31, I38 and consequently the pin I40, to move toward the right as viewed in Figure 4, by reason of the cam action of the slots I35, I36 on the pins I 31, I38, and consequently the disc H1 and the vanes II6 carried thereby will be moved toward the vanes II5 a predetermined amount.

The housing 95 is preferably filled with a liquid such as oil, either fully or to a predetermined extent. If the housing is completely filled with liquid suitable means (not shown) must be provided to permit expansion of the liquid when heated, which applies also in the case of the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4 through '7 is as follows.

If it be assumed that the driven shaft 94 is at rest and the driving shaft 93 is in rotation, the pump impeller, through rotation of its vanes I01, will take oil from the chamber H4 and drive it in a generally radial outward direction by centrifugal force, this oil impinging at the proper angle and having its direction of flow changed by the reaction turbine blades I08, and then discharged from the blades I 08 at greatly reduced velocity into the discharge passage of the turbine. This produces a high torque tending to rotate the turbine and therefore the housing 95 and the driven shaft 94, in the same direction as the shaft 93. The oil discharged from the turbine runner passes first into the discharge space III and then turns radially inwards between the ribs IIO into the vane free space I I4 and thence back to the inlet of the pump vanes I01. While the rotation of the shaft 94 is being begun and before it has attained any considerable speed, the ribs IIO act simply as supports for the base ring I 09. However, as the speed of the shaft 94 is increased the ribs IIO begin to effectively tend to whirl the oil confined between said ribs, and therefore said oil tends to move in a general radial outward direction. The result is that when the shaft 94 thus increases in speed a greater and greater back pressure is put on the liquid in the discharge chamber III. The consequence is that as the speed of the driven shaft 94 approaches that of the driving shaft 93 the circulation of liquid through the pump and turbine combination substantially or entirely ceases or is reduced to a predetermined extent, as may be desired.

The liquid between the vanes I01 and the turbine blades I08 is under considerable pressure when the ribs II come into effective action to produce a substantial centrifugal force, and therefore relative motion as between the vanes I01 and blades I08 is rendered more diflicult and hence slip is reduced. The pump-turbine combination thus tends to act like a clutch when a predetermined speed is reached.

It will be evident that the pump and turbine combination whose operation has just been described is per se an improved hydraulic power transmitting means.

During the time that the foregoing actions of the pump and turbine combination are going on, the hydraulic clutch vanes H5, H6 are at first widely spaced as shown in Figure 4. There is therefore little churning, turbulence, and hydraulic friction when the shaft 94 is at a standstill and the vanes ll are rotating at a com paratively high speed. Substantially all the power that may be delivered to the shaft 94, is therefore available for use in the pump and turbine. As the speed of the driven shaft 94 increases, by reason of the action of the pump and turbine, to an extent sufiicient to overcome the predetermined force of the springs I 4|, I 42, the fly balls I22, I 23 will act to move the vanes I I6 axially toward the vanes H5 a predetermined extent dependent upon the increase in speed of the shaft 94. The hydraulic clutch efiect as between the vanes H5, H6 will therefore increase and reach a maximum when the vanes H6 have been moved toward the vanes H5 as close as running clearance between said sets of vanes will permit. The degree of approach of the vanes H6 to the vanes I I5 may be limited, for example, by the abutting of the disc H1 against a portion of the housing 95.

It is of course obvious that if the load on the driven shaft 94 increases further, the fly balls I 22, I23 will again permit more or less separation of the vanes I I5, I I6, and at the same time, since the ribs III] are operating at a lower speed the back pressure produced in the chamber III will be lower and hence the turbine I08 will again be permitted to come into action, as a turbine, to an extent dependent upon the relative speeds of the shafts 93, 94, thus producing a high torque, or a sufiicient torque on the shaft 94, to take the load.

While the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 show turbine runners of the radial inward flow type and the embodiment of Figure 4 shows a runner of the radial outward flow type, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the turbine runer may be types other than of radial outward flow.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiments of my invention provide new and improved power transmitting means, and accordingly, each accomplishes at least the principal object of my invention. On the other hand, it also will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiments of my invention may be variously changed and modified, or features thereof, singly or collectively, embodied in other combinations than those illustrated, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof, and that accordingly, the disclosure herein is illustrative only, and my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic torque multiplying means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means; a hydraulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; and means whereby during the starting from rest of said driven means the power available from said driving means is transmitted from said driving to said driven means substantially entirely through said hydraulic torque multiplying means and then as the speed of said driven means increases above a predetermined value the transmission of power is gradually automatically transferred from through said hydraulic torque multiplying means to through said hydraulic clutch said gradual transfer varying as said speed so that the amount of transfer is dependent upon the amount of speed increase.

2. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic torque multiplying means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means; a hydraulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; and means whereby for speeds of said driven means in a range from substantially less than maximum to maximum, power is transmitted to said driven means through both said hydraulic torque multiplying means and said clutch in relative amounts dependent upon the speed of said driven means in said range.

3. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic torque mu1- tiplying means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means; a hydraulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; and means whereby for speeds of said driven means in a range from substantially less than maximum to maximum, power is transmitted to said driven means through both said hydraulic torque multiplying means and said clutch in relative amounts dependent upon the speed of said driven means, predetermined increments in speed causing predetermined increase and decrease respectively in powers transmitted through said clutch and hydraulic torque multiplying means respectively, and predetermined decrements in speed causing predetermined decrease and increase respectively in powers transmitted through said clutch and hydraulic torque multiplying means respectively.

4. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic torque multiplying means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means; a hydraulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; and means whereby during the starting from rest of said driven means the power available from said driving means is transmitted from the driving to the driven means substantially entirely through said hydraulic torque multiplying means and then as the speed of said driven means increases above a predetermined value the transmission of power is gradually automatically transferred from through said hydraulic torque multiplying means to through said hydraulic clutch said gradual transfer varying as said speed so that the amount of transfer is dependent upon the amount of speed increase, and upon decrease in speed said gradual automatic transfer is reversed.

5. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine, drivingly associated with said driven means; means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; a hydraulic clutch with said driving and driven means respectively; and means whereby for speeds of said driven means in a range from substantially less than maximum to maximum, power is transmitted to said driven means through both said turbine and said clutch in relative amounts dependent upon the speed of said driven means.

6. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine,- drivingly associated with said driven means; means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; a hydraulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectiveand means whereby for speeds of said driven means in a range from substantially less than maximum to maximum, power is transmitted to said driven means through both said turbine and said clutch in relative amounts dependent .upon the speed of said driven means, predetermined increments in speed causing predetermined increase and decrease respectively in powers transmitted through said clutch and turbine respectively, and predetermined decrements in speed causing predetermined decrease and inincluding elements associated Y crease respectively in powers transmitted through said clutch and turbine respectively.

'7. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine, drivingly associated with said driven means; means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; a hydraulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; and means whereby during the starting from rest of said driven means power is transmitted from the driving to the driven means substantially entirely through said turbine and then as the speed of said driven means increases above a predetermined value the transmission of power is gradually automatically transferred from through said turbine to through said hydraulic clutch said gradual transfer varying as said speed so that the amount of transfer is dependent upon the amount of speed increase, and upon decrease in speed said gradual automatic transfer is reversed.

8. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; means for starting said driven means from rest including hydraulic torque multiplying means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means; hydraulic clutch means having elements associated respectively with said driving and driven means; means for reducing the absorption of power by said clutch means during said starting; and means for gradually reducing the circulation of liquid through said hydraulic torque multiplying means in response to predetermined speed of said driven means, said gradual reduction of circulation varying as said speed so that the amount of reduction is dependent upon the amount of speed increase.

9. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; means for starting said driven means from rest including a hydraulic turbine drivingly associated with said driven means; hydraulic clutch means having elements associated respectively with said driving and driven means; means for reducing the absorption of power by said clutch means during said starting; and means for gradually reducing the circulation of liquid through said turbine in response to predetermined speed of said driven means, said gradual reduction of circulation varying as said speed so that the amount of reduction is dependent upon the amount of speed increase.

10. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a rotor drivingly associated with said driving means; said rotor including centrifugal pump impeller vanes and a set of hydraulic clutch vanes unitary with said pump impeller vanes; a turbine having a runner disposed in operative relation to the discharge from said pump impeller; a second set of hydraulic clutch vanes disposed adjacent said first named set; and means whereby said second set of hydraulic clutch vanes and said turbine runner are drivingly associated with said driven means.

11. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a rotor drivingly associated with said driving means; said rotor in cluding centrifugal pump impeller vanes and a set of hydraulic clutch vanes; a turbine having a runner disposed in operative relation to the discharge from said pump impeller; a second set of hydraulic clutch vanes disposed adjacent said first named set; means whereby said second set Search t of hydraulic clutch vanes and said turbine runner are drivingly associated with said driven means; means for mounting said second set of hydraulic clutch vanes for axial movement; and means for causing said second set of vanes to assume an axial position dependent upon the speed of said driven means.

12. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a rotor drivingly associated with said driving means; said rotor including centrifugal pump impeller vanes and a set of hydraulic clutch vanes; a turbine having a runner disposed in operative relation to the discharge from said pump impeller; a second set of hydraulic clutch vanes disposed adjacent said first named set; means whereby said second set of hydraulic clutch vanes and said turbine runner are drivingly associated with said driven means; means for mounting said second set of hydraulic clutch vanes and said turbine runner for axial movement; and means for causing said second set of vanes and said turbine runner to assume an axial position dependent upon the speed of said driven means.

13. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a housing; a rotor drivingly associated with said driven means, a housing; a rotor drivingly associated with said driven means, said rotor having a wall dividing said housing into a first and second chamber with running clearance between the periphery of said wall and said housing; a set of hydraulic clutch vanes carried by said rotor in said first chamber; a turbine runner carried by said rotor in said second chamber; and a centrifugal pump impeller and a set of hydraulic clutch vanes, disposed in said first chamber, drivingly associated with said driving means, cooperating respectively with said turbine runner and said first named set of hydraulic clutch vanes.

14. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a housing drivingly associated with said driven means; a disc drivingly associated with said driving means, said disc dividing said housing into two chambers with running clearance between the periphery of said disc and said housing; a set of hydraulic clutch vanes carried by said housing in one of said chambers; a turbine runner carried by said housing in the other of said chambers; and a centrifugal pump impeller and a set of hydraulic clutch vanes carried by and on opposite sides of said disc and cooperating respectively with said first turbine runner and said first named set of hydraulic clutch vanes.

15. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a disc drivingly associated with said driving means; centrifugal pump impe'ler vanes carried on one side of said disc; a set of hydraulic clutch vanes carried by the other side of said disc; a turbine having a runner disposed in operative relation to the discharge from said pump impeller; a second set of hydraulic clutch vanes disposed adjacent said first named set; means whereby said second set of hydraulic clutch vanes and said turbine runner are drivingly associated with said driven means; means for mounting said second set of hydraulic clutch vanes for axial movement; and

means for causing said second set of vanes to assume an axial position dependent upon the speed of said driven means.

16. Power transmitting means comprising; driving and driven means; hydraulic torque multiplying means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means; a hydraulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; said clutch containing a predetermined amount of liquid; and means whereby for speeds of said driven means in a range from substantially less than maximum to maximum, power is transmitted to said driven means through both said hydraulic torque multiplying means and said clutch in relative amounts dependent upon the speed of said driven means, predetermined increments in speed causing predetermined increase and decrease respectively in powers transmitted through said clutch and hydraulic torque multiplying means respectively, and predetermined decrements in speed causing predetermined decrease and increase respectively in powers transmitted through said clutch and hydraulic torque multiplying means respectively, said predetermined amount of liquid remaining substantially the same while said speed so changes.

17. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine, drivingly associated with said driven means; means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; a hydraulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; said clutch containing a predetermined amount of liquid; and means whereby for speeds of said driven means in a range from substantially less than maximum to maximum, power is transmited to said driven means through both said turbine and said clutch in relative amounts dependent upon the speed of said driven means, predetermined increments in speed causing predetermined increase and decrease respectively in powers transmitted through said clutch and turbine respectively, and predetermined decrements in speed causing predetermined decrease and increase respectively in powers transmitted through said clutch and turbine respectively; said predetermined amount of liquid remaining substantially the same while said speed changes.

18. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic torque multiplying means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means; a hydraulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; said clutch containing a predetermined amount of liquid; and means whereby during the starting from rest of said driven means the power available from said driving means is transmitted from the driving to the driven means substantially entirely through said hydraulic torque multiplying means and then as the speed of said driven means increases above a predetermined value the transmission of power is gradually automatically transferred from through said hydraulic torque multiplying means to through said hydraulic clutch said gradual transfer varying as said speed so that that the amount of transfer is dependent upon the amount of speed increase; said predetermined amount of liquid remaining substantially the same while said speed so changes.

19. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine, drivingly associated with said driven means; means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; a hy--.

draulic clutch including elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; said clutch containing a predetermined amount of liquid; and means whereby during the starting from rest of said driven means power is transmitted from the driving to the driven means substantially entirely through said turbine and then as the speed of said driven means increases above a predetermined value the transmission of power is gradually automatically transferred from through said turbine to through said hydraulic clutch said gradual transfer varying as said speed so that the amount of transfer is dependent upon the amount of speed increase; said predetermined amount of liquid remaining substantially the same while said speed so changes.

20. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means, including two principal chambers, and including rotatable elements drivingly associated with said driving and driven means, a first of said elements including a pump disposed in one of said chambers, and a second of said elements being disposed in the other of said chambers; means whereby said pump develops a difference in hydrostatic pressures in said chambers tending to move at least one of said first and second elements out of one chamber toward the other; and means, including an adjustable valve, so constructed and arranged that said difference in hydrostatic pressures may be controlled by said valve.

21. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; rotatable means drivingly associated with said driving means; said rotatable means including centrifugal pump impeller vanes and a set of hydraulic clutch vanes; a turbine having a runner disposed in operative relation to the discharge from said pump impeller; a second set of hydraulic clutch vanes disposed adjacent said first named set; means whereby said second set of hydraulic clutch vanes and said turbine runner are drivingly associated with said driven means; and means mounting at least one of said sets of hydraulic clutch vanes for axial movement.

22. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; rotatable means drivingly associated with said driving means; said rotatable means including centrifugal pump impeller vanes and a set of hydraulic clutch vanes; a turbine having a runner disposed in operative relation to the discharge from said pump impeller; a second set of hydraulic clutch vanes disposed adjacent said first named set; means whereby said second set of hydraulic clutch vanes and said turbine runner are drivingly associated with said driven means; and means mounting said turbine runner for axial movement.

23. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means, including rotatable elements drivingly associated with said driving and driven means respectively, said elements being so constructed and arranged that they cooperate hydraulically to transmit power and are axially relatively movable to vary the hydraulic interaction of said elements; and inertia responsive means including connections controlling the relative axial position of said rotatable elements, so constructed and arranged that at a substantially constant relative speed as between said driving and driven means said elements remain in substantially the same relative position and upon a sudden change of speed causing a temporary change in relative angular relation 01 said driving and driven means said elements are caused to change their relative axial position.

24. Power transmitting means comprising: 5 driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine, drivingly associated with said driven means; hy draulic means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; hydraulic clutch means having elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; said hydraulic clutch means being adapted to operate with maximum clutching effect when said clutch elements are cooperating in a predetermined amount of liquid and when the speeds of said driving and driven means are least difierent; said clutch elements being so constructed and arranged that during the starting from rest of said driven means absorption of power by said hydraulic clutch is reduced though said clutch elements are supplied with said amount of liquid, thereby to render said otherwise absorbed power available for transmission through said turbine to said driven means; and means, responsive to increase of speed of said driven means above a predetermined amount substantially less than maximum, so constructed and arranged that the transmission of power is gradually automatically transferred from through said turbine to through said hydraulicclutch means said gradual transfer varying as said speed so that the amount of transfer is dependent upon the amount of speed increase.

25. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine, drivingly associated with said driven means; hydraulic means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; hydraulic clutch means having elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; said hydraulic clutch means being adapted to operate with maximum clutching effeet when said clutch elements are cooperating in a predetermined amount of liquid and when the speeds of said driving and driven means are least difierent; said clutch elements being so constructed and arranged that during the starting from rest of said driven means absorption of power by said clutch is reduced though said clutch elements are supplied with said amount of liquid, thereby to render said otherwise ao sorbed power available for transmission through said turbine to said driven means; and means whereby for speeds of said driven means in a range from substantially less than maximum to maximum, power is transmitted to said driven means through both said turbine and said clutch means in relative amounts dependent upon the speed of said driven means in said range.

26. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine, drivingly associated with said driven means; hydraulic means driving y associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; hydraulic clutch means having elements asso ciated with said driving and driven means respectively; said hydraulic clutch means being adapted to operate with maximum clutching effeet when said clutch elements are cooperating in a predetermined amount of liquid and when the speeds of said driving and driven means are least difierent; said clutch elements being so constructed and arranged that they are relatively movable toward and away from each other and during the starting from rest of said driven 75 means are positioned away from each other so that absorption of power by said hydraulic clutch is reduced though said clutch elements are supplied with said amount of liquid, thereby to render said otherwise absorbed power available" for transmission through said turbine to said driven means; and means, responsive to increase of speed of said driven means above a predetermined amount substantially less than maximum, so constructed and arranged that the transmission of power is gradually automatically transferred from through said turbine to through said hydraulic clutch means said gradual transfer varying as said speed so that the amount of transfer is dependent upon the amount of speed increase.

27. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine, drivingly associated with said driven means; hydraulic means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; hydraulic clutch means having elements associated with said driving and driven means respectively; said hydraulic clutch means being adapted to operate with maximum clutching effect when said clutch elements are cooperating in a predetermined amount of liquid and when the speeds of said driving and driven means are least difierent; said clutch elements being so constructed and arranged that they are relatively movable toward and away from each other and during the starting from rest of said driven means are positioned away from each other so that absorption of power by said clutch is reduced though said clutch elements are supplied with said amount of liquid thereby to render said otherwise absorbed power available for transmission through said turbine to said driven means; and means whereby for speeds of said driven means in a range from substantially less than maximum to maximum, power is transmitted to said driven means through both said turbine and said clutch means in relative amounts dependent upon the speed of said driven means in said range.

28. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine drivingly associated with said driven means; means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate to start said driven means from rest; said turbine including housing means containing a predetermined amount of liquid; hydraulic clutch means having elements associated respectively with said driving and driven means; means for reducing the absorption of power by said clutch means during said starting; and means for gradually reducing the circulation of liquid through said turbine in response to predetermined speed of said driven means while leaving said amount of liquid substantially the same, said gradual reduction varying as said speed so that the amount of reduction of circulation is dependent upon the amount of speed increase.

29. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine drivingly associated with said driven means; hydraulic means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; said turbine including housing means containing a predetermined amount of liquid; hydraulic clutch means having elements associated respectively with said driving and driven means; said clutch means being adapted to operate with maximum clutching effect when said clutch elements are cooperating in a predetermined amount of liquid and when the speeds of said driving and driven means are least different; said clutch elements being so constructed and arranged that during the starting from rest of said driven means absorption of power by said hydraulic clutch means is reduced though said clutch elements are supplied with said amount of clutch liquid, thereby to render said otherwise absorbed power available for transmission through said turbine to said driven means; and means for gradually reducing the circulation of liquid through said turbine in response to predetermined speed of said driven means while leaving said amount of turbine liquid substantially the same, said gradual reduction varying as said speed so that the amount of reduction of circulation is dependent upon the degree of speed increase.

30. Power transmitting means comprising: driving and driven means; a hydraulic turbine drivingly associated with said driven means; hydraulic means drivingly associated with said driving means for causing said turbine to rotate; said turbine including housing means containing a predetermined amount of liquid; hydraulic clutch means having elements associated respectively with said driving and driven means; said clutch means being adapted to operate with maximum clutching effect when said clutch elements are cooperating in a predetermined amount of liquid and when the speeds of said driving and driven means are least different; said clutch elements being so constructed and arranged that they are relatively movable toward and away from each other and during the starting from rest of said driven means are positioned away from each other so that absorption of power bysaid hydraulic clutch means is reduced though said clutch elements are supplied with said amount of clutch liquid, thereby to render said otherwise absorbed power available for transmission through said turbine to said driven means; and means for gradually reducing the circulation of liquid through said turbine in response to predetermined speed of said driven means while leaving said amount of turbine liquid substantially the same, said gradual reduction varying as said speed so that the amount of reduction of circulation is dependent upon the amount of speed increase.

31. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means, including two principal chambers, and including rotatable elements drivingly associated with said driving and driven means, one of said elements including a pump disposed in one of said chambers, said rotatable elements including also hydraulic clutch elements relatively movable axially and drivingly associated with said driving and driven means respectively; means whereby said pump develops a difference in hydrostatic pressures in said chambers tending to move at least said clutch elements axially relatively toward each other; and means for rendering said difierence in hydrostatic pressures effective to position at least said clutch elements axially relatively to each other.

32. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means, including two principal chambers, and including rotatable elements, said elements including a pump disposed in one of said chambers and a turbine constructed and arranged to receive the discharge from said pump, said pump and said turbine being relatively movable axially and drivingly associated with said driving and driven means respectively, said rotatable elements including also hydraulic clutch elements relatively movable axially and drivingly associated with said driving and driven means respectively; means whereby said pumpdevelops adifference in hydrostatic pressures in said chambers tending to move said clutch elements axially relatively toward each other and tending to move said pump and said turbine relatively to each other; and means for rendering said difference in hydrostatic pressures effective to position said clutch elements axially relatively to each other and to position said pump and said turbine axially relatively to each other.

33. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means, including rotatable elements respectively associated with said driving and driven means, said driving element including a pump, and said driven element including a turbine; means for so mounting said elements that they are at all times drivingly associated with said driving and driven means so as to rotate in unison with said driving and driven means respectively and so that said turbine is movable axially toward and away from said pump; means whereby said pump develops fluid pressure tending to move said turbine axially toward said pump; and means for rendering said fluid pressure elfective to position said turbine axially with respect to said pump.

34. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means, including two principal chambers, and including rotatable elements drivingly associated with said driving and driven means, a first of said elements including a pump disposed in one of said chambers, and a second of said elements including a turbine disposed in the other of said chambers; said turbine being so constructed and arranged that it is movable axially toward and away from said pump; means whereby said pump develops a difference in hydrostatic pressures in said chambers tending to move said turbine out of said other chamber toward said pump; and means, including an adjustable valve, so constructed and arranged that said dif ference in hydrostatic pressures may be controlled by said valve.

35. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means, including two principal chambers, and including rotatable elements drivingly associated with said driving and driven means, one of said elements including a pump disposed in one of said chambers and a second of said elements including a turbine dizposed in the other of said chambers; said turbine being so constructed and arranged that it is movable axially toward and away from said pump; means whereby said pump develops a difference in hydrostatic pressures in said chambers tending to move said turbine out of said other chamber toward said pump; and means for rendering said difierence in hydrostatic pressures efiective to position said turbine axially with respect to said pump.

36. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means, including two principal chambers,

and including rotatable elements drivingly associated with said driving and driven means, one of said elements including a pump disposed in one of said chambers, and a second of said elements including a turbine disposed in the other of said chambers, said rotatable elements including also hydraulic clutch elements so constructed and arranged that they are drivingly associated with said driving and driven means respectively and so that said driven clutch ele ment is movable axially toward and away from said driving clutch element; means whereby said pump develops a difference in hydrostatic pressures in said chambers tending to move at least the clutch element associated with said driven means axially toward the clutch element associated with said driving means; and means for rendering said difference in hydrostatic pressures effective to position said driven clutch element axially with respect to said driving clutch element.

37. Power transmitting means, comprising: driving and driven means; hydraulic means for transmitting power from said driving to said driven means, including two principal chambers, and including rotatable elements, said elements Search Rec drivingly associated with said driving and driven means respectively and so constructed and arranged that said driven clutch element is movable toward and away from said driving means whereby said pump develops a difference in hydrostatic pressures in said chambers tending to move the clutch element associated with said driven means axially toward the clutch element associated with said driving means, and tending to move said turbine axially toward said pump; and means for rendering said difference in hydrostatic pressures efiective to position said driven clutch element axially with respect to said driving clutch element and to position said turbine axially with respect to said pump.

O'I'IO GRUENBERGER.

Patent No. 2,179,1LL9.

f CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

November 7, 1959. OTTO GRUENBERGER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, second column, line 5L1, for the word "depth" read path; page 7, second column, lines 27, 28 and 29, claim 15, strike out the words and comma "a housing; a rotor drivingly associated with said driven means," page 8, first column, line 65, claim 18, strike out "that" second occurrence; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of December, A. D. 1959.

' Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

